This invention relates to printing devices and methods of operating printing devices.
Printing devices typically use consumable items that must be replaced. There are different types of consumable items. For example, toner is a consumable item that is typically used in printers to effect printing on a print media such as paper. Toner typically comes in a toner cartridge with a limited amount of toner. When the toner becomes depleted, it must be replaced if printing is to continue. Other subsystems within printers are typically xe2x80x9cconsumablesxe2x80x9d because of their limited lifetime and the fact that they must be replaced.
In recent years, a great deal of work has been done in the area of consumables management. Managing consumables effectively can greatly increase the efficiency with which both the consumable and its associated device are used. As an example of some consumables management solutions, the reader is referred to the following U.S. Patents, all of which are incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,154,619, 6,128,448, 6,102,508, 6,019,449, 5,930,553, 5,812,156, 5,758,224, 5,682,140, and 5,491,540.
Print media, such as paper, is also a consumable that regularly needs to be replaced. Many printers come equipped with a sensor that indicates when the print media is out. In many models, this sensor comprises a small biased mechanical arm that reaches down to physically engage the print media. When the print media is exhausted, the mechanical arm is biased in a manner that indicates that the supply of print media is gone. Accordingly, a xe2x80x9cmedia outxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9creplace mediaxe2x80x9d display is typically displayed on the printer for the user to see so that they can replace the print media.
While having this type of sensor is advantageous from the standpoint of notifying a user that they need to replace the print media all together, it stops short of providing a truly efficient consumables management solution. This sensor does not permit a user to ascertain whether there is enough print media for processing their print job. For example, how many times have you or someone you know sent a print job to a printer (for example, in an office setting), only to arrive at the printer to see a blinking xe2x80x9cadd print mediaxe2x80x9d display, with only half the print job having been processed? This is inefficient and wastes not only the print job owner""s time, but also the time of others who may have print jobs stacked up in the queue.
Accordingly, this invention arose out of concerns associated with providing improved printers and consumables management systems and methods for use in connection with printers.
Printing systems and methods of operating printing systems are described. In one embodiment, a printer comprises one or more processors, a print media tray for supporting a supply of print media, and a sensor operably associated with the print media tray. The sensor is configured to ascertain a measure associated with an amount of print media in the print media tray. The processor and the sensor are configured to ascertain, from the measure provided by the sensor, a number of remaining sheets of print media.
In another embodiment, a printer comprises one or more processors, a paper tray for supporting a supply of paper, and a sonar sensor operably associated with the paper tray. The sonar sensor is configured to ascertain a measure associated with an amount of paper in the paper tray. The processor and the sonar sensor are configured to ascertain, from the measure provided by the sensor, a number of remaining sheets of paper.
In another embodiment, a printing system comprises multiple printers each of which comprising a paper tray for supporting a supply of paper, and means operably associated with the paper tray for automatically ascertaining a number of remaining sheets of paper in the paper tray. At least one host computer is configured to send print jobs to one or more of the multiple printers. A network links the host computer(s) and the multiple printers and provides a medium over which the print jobs can be sent to the printers.
In yet a further embodiment, a method of operating a printer comprises determining a measure associated with an amount of paper remaining in the printer, and calculating a number of remaining pages of paper from the measure.
In another embodiment, a method of operating a printer comprises receiving a print job with a printer and determining how many pages of paper are going to be needed to print the print job at the printer. The method automatically determines whether the printer has enough pages of paper to complete the print job, given the number of pages of paper that are needed for the print job.